My House Renovation - Part 2 - Kitchen

The kitchen I had when I bought the house was just as bad as the Bathroom… Bad.

I looked at many ways to make or install a new cheap kitchen. Second hand through the Trading Post, Kit Kitchens, Seconds, and Auctions.. In the end I just got so confused and frustrated with all the different terms and designs I just figured - stuff it, I’d do it myself.. (See previous post regarding ignorance and bravado)..

I made working plans for every cabinet - floor and overhead and made space for the dishwasher and the like. I even created a cutting plan for the 16 sheets of 2.4 x 1.2 MR Melamine and 6 sheets of 2.4 x 1.2 Melteca, which I would cut down on my second hand $200.00 Triton (with extension table).

I eventually come up with a plan that made sense to me and fitted the room. Making all the cabinets my self at least gave me the opportunity to customize the size as I went along (That’s another term for stuffing up on measuring up correctly in the first place).

Also I had no idea how to enclose my MR melamine carcases. I chose a Melteca door that I would edge with a “iron on” laminate myself. Off course you have to allow for the width of the laminate edging in the master plans for the door panels???? Don’t you?? Perfect cuts don’t work on cabinet doors that are yet to be laminated. Any idiot would know that.. Wouldn’t they.. (Mental note 5 – I’m an idiot).

As previously mentioned, I picked up on all this re-cycled Merbau I pretty cheap.. As it was just sitting round I figured it would make a good bench top for the kitchen just as it had for the vanity. (It is 40mm thick – very impressive stuff). It would just be longer, A lot longer.. Same principal, tounge and groove or maybe biscuit – how hard can that be.

Given the style of the new Kitchen I thought a stainless steel splash back would work well, until I saw the cost of them suckers.,. Luckily I had a few boxes of tiles left over from the bathroom and the plaster board was looking pretty bad after the wall destruction (see renovation 3 – wall removal), so tiles it was.

Tottal cost for Kitchen including all appliances, cabinets, handles, sink, taps, fridge, tiles and floor, lighting electrical and plumbing etc etc. $5,230.00

Wow Snapper Kev! What a dramatic change! No doubt the cook/s will love working in it, now! You have done a great job of it. Very satisfying, isn't it, to have done it yourself!

Cheers,

Jill

Good job Snapper_Kev! How did you stop the melamine from chipping when you cut it on the Triton?

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Originally Posted by renomart

Good job Snapper_Kev! How did you stop the melamine from chipping when you cut it on the Triton?

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Hi Renomart.. I didn't have much of a problem with chipping at all. I am using a ripping saw blade with the exposed side up on the melamine and not having a problem.

Great job snapper. What did you use to get that finish on the Merabu bench top?

Garves - I was really in two minds about the finish. Originally I wanted a natural look and even purchased some OrganOil Hard Burnishing oil for the job. After a pretty dismal atempt using it on the bathroom vanity (which I re-finished with flood coat) and the problem of a family with kids not being very "timber aware" I eventually chose 4 coats of Wattyl 7008 2 pack. Seems to be holding up really good so far and very happy with the finish but it is still early days. I'll tell you in 6 to 12 months if I made the right choice. Cheers, Kev

Was just wondering how the triton cut your melamine? Did it chip much? I am wanting to do something similar but was worried the chipping may be a bit too excessive thus having to roughter the edges to clean them up (pain in the butt)


Pictures look fantastic, really smart looking job :)


readnik

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Originally Posted by readnik

Was just wondering how the triton cut your melamine? Did it chip much? I am wanting to do something similar but was worried the chipping may be a bit too excessive thus having to roughter the edges to clean them up (pain in the butt)


Pictures look fantastic, really smart looking job :)


readnik

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Hi Readnik, as mentioned I am using a wide (20) tooth ripping blade on the Triton and not having any problems with chipping at all... Keep in mind I'm not using Melamine for the doors and end panels. All the black panels are Melteca which is an MDF product form a local supplier here in Melb.

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Originally Posted by readnik

Was just wondering how the triton cut your melamine? Did it chip much?

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If you are going to cut melamine for the kitchen carcass, use a triple chip blade. You will get minimal chipping on one side only. When you assemble the carcass, put the chip side to the carcass exterior. That way, you will not see any chipped surface as the carcases will be joined to each other. The interior will look :D

For cutting melamine doors and panels, rough cut each piece 2mm oversize all round. Then use a router table with the fence set for 2mm and you will be fine.

Hope this helps.

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Originally Posted by renomart

If you are going to cut melamine for the kitchen carcass, use a triple chip blade. You will get minimal chipping on one side only. When you assemble the carcass, put the chip side to the carcass exterior. That way, you will not see any chipped surface as the carcases will be joined to each other. The interior will look :D

For cutting melamine doors and panels, rough cut each piece 2mm oversize all round. Then use a router table with the fence set for 2mm and you will be fine.

Hope this helps.

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Thanks for the info..i will get the tripple chip blade...sorry for hijacking the thread Snapper_Kev.

Thanks for the valuable info though

readnik

Nice looking Kitchen Snapper, the white fridge sticks out a little... got any of that Melteca left?

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Originally Posted by Harry72

Nice looking Kitchen Snapper, the white fridge sticks out a little... got any of that Melteca left?

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Thanks for that Harry... I'm still copping flack for that one. At the time I just couldn't bring myself to spend the extra $400 for a Stainless steel one. In hindesight, I should have spent the extra $400 bucks. Hindesight is a wonderful thing